title: An evaluation of the effects of a service change from epidurals to rectus sheath catheters on postoperative pain.
abstract: Epidurals are frequently used as part of multi-modal perioperative analgesia. They are widely accepted as providing excellent pain relief but are associated with side-effects, have a significant failure rate and can limit a patient's mobility. We report on our use of rectus sheath catheters (RSCs), in conjunction with intravenous opiate via patient controlled analgesia (PCA), as a means of providing analgesia post-laparotomy for gynaecological oncological patients. Our experience is that this offers an alternative method of providing equivalent analgesia, avoiding the risks associated with epidural use and possibly has a role in reducing length of patient stay, although this requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Acheson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dix
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D057785:Catheters; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017568:Rectus Abdominis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine